Onyx Android certification

[msbentley]

Hi all,

I've been an Onyx "lurker" for some time, but am finally interested in getting the Note or the Max2. I'm mainly looking for a large device to read and annotate PDFs - and by annotate I mean write the annotations into the PDF such that they can be read/edited on the desktop also. So I'm really interested in using Android apps (many of which I have already paid for).

My concern is the recent news that Google will be clamping down on installs of the Play Store and associated infrastructure on uncertified devices. See, for example:

https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/0...xemption-roms/

Since I don't see Onyx listed as a Google partner:

https://www.android.com/certified/partners/

I didn't want to part with a large sum of money to find out that I had to jump through extra hoops to obtain/side-load etc. my apps.

Does anyone know the plans/status of the Boox here?

Thanks!! Mark

[mdp]

Originally Posted by msbentley

My concern is the recent news that Google will be clamping down on installs of the Play Store and associated infrastructure on uncertified devices

I can tell you that I never used the Play Store once in my life, and that I am pretty certain I will never do (or really need).
Of course, that may exclude paid for apps.
So, I have always gone for the extra hoops and I see negligible burdens and important features gained (I store my packages, with versioning).

For other people to answer your question directly, I leave the floor.

[msbentley]

Thanks! I have no problem going through the technical process of side-loading, but since I have a bunch of paid apps I thought I'd ask

Originally Posted by mdp

I can tell you that I never used the Play Store once in my life, and that I am pretty certain I will never do (or really need).
Of course, that may exclude paid for apps.

[Question Mark]

On the Note, I wasn't able to install the few paid apps I have from the Play Store, only the free versions of them.

However, I was able to extract the APK file from my paid apps and sideload them onto my Note. So I now have Moon+ Reader Pro running on my Note which is wonderful because it is one of the few ereader apps that seems able to handle the furigana in Japanese texts properly.

[msbentley]

Thanks for the feedback - so you first install the app on another Android device, and then grab the APK and sideload onto the Note?

Another question would be - what is the stock PDF app like - can it write "proper" PDF annotations to the PDF? (then all of this may be moot!)

Originally Posted by Question Mark

However, I was able to extract the APK file from my paid apps and sideload them onto my Note.

[mlang]

I had a problems installing paid apps on Boox Note.
I emailed the dev and here is their solution.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8...g0WktPRTRkZV8w

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by msbentley

Thanks for the feedback - so you first install the app on another Android device, and then grab the APK and sideload onto the Note?

Yes. If you've already purchased the app, you likely have it on another Android device. You can then extract the APK from the app on that device and load it onto the Note.

There are a number of ways to extract the APK from an app. I posted some information about the easiest way which I have found to do this here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...0&postcount=10

Originally Posted by msbentley

Another question would be - what is the stock PDF app like - can it write "proper" PDF annotations to the PDF? (then all of this may be moot!)

You can make annotations on the PDF. However, I haven't tried exporting an annotated PDF yet so I'm not entirely sure what format they would export in and how they would show up on another device.

[msbentley]

Thanks again! If you do happen to test this situation, it would be great if you could report back!

Originally Posted by Question Mark

You can make annotations on the PDF. However, I haven't tried exporting an annotated PDF yet so I'm not entirely sure what format they would export in and how they would show up on another device.

[gimble]

Originally Posted by msbentley

Thanks again! If you do happen to test this situation, it would be great if you could report back!

You can make annotations, scribble notes and add extra pages of sidenotes to the pdf. When exporting, you have the option of choosing if you want to retain the scribbles and/or annotations as well as the "brush stroke color" for handwritten notes.

The file gets exported as a separate pdf, retaining the highlights, embedded annotations as well as the handwritten portions (depending on what you chose). The sidenotes you write for any given page get inserted as new pages in the exported file right after their corresponding page.

The annotations show up when using other readers on other devices - just now tested the exported file on a PC.

[msbentley]

Fantastic, that all sounds very promising - I don't support you could upload one of the exported files so that I could take a look?

Originally Posted by gimble

The file gets exported as a separate pdf, retaining the highlights, embedded annotations as well as the handwritten portions (depending on what you chose). The sidenotes you write for any given page get inserted as new pages in the exported file right after their corresponding page.

The annotations show up when using other readers on other devices - just now tested the exported file on a PC.

[gimble]

Originally Posted by msbentley

Fantastic, that all sounds very promising - I don't support you could upload one of the exported files so that I could take a look?

Sure. Just have time for a quick test file. The exported file has a couple of highlights, with scribble and extra side notes exported in blue.

[msbentley]

Super - thanks for taking the time! This looks like exactly what I want, so my original concern about side-loading is probably moot in my case if the device can do what I want "out of the box" - plus sideloading is an option if needs be.

Thanks everyone for helping me out!

Originally Posted by gimble

Sure. Just have time for a quick test file. The exported file has a couple of highlights, with scribble and extra side notes exported in blue.

[Atticus21]

I just got my Onyx Note. I found that my purchased apps on the play.google.com looked like I'd need to repurchase. I then figured it out. Login into the play store from a computer via the browser and search for your purchased app. Then install it via the play store to the Onyx device....Easy. Kind of an over-the-air install.

Just my experience.

~ Phillip

Originally Posted by msbentley

Hi all,

I've been an Onyx "lurker" for some time, but am finally interested in getting the Note or the Max2. I'm mainly looking for a large device to read and annotate PDFs - and by annotate I mean write the annotations into the PDF such that they can be read/edited on the desktop also. So I'm really interested in using Android apps (many of which I have already paid for).

My concern is the recent news that Google will be clamping down on installs of the Play Store and associated infrastructure on uncertified devices. See, for example:

https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/0...xemption-roms/

Since I don't see Onyx listed as a Google partner:

https://www.android.com/certified/partners/

I didn't want to part with a large sum of money to find out that I had to jump through extra hoops to obtain/side-load etc. my apps.

Does anyone know the plans/status of the Boox here?

Thanks!! Mark